Parallel maskless optical lithography for prototyping, low-volume production, and research

Earlier we reported on a proof-of-concept maskless-lithography system that used an array of Fresnel zone plates to focus multiple beams of 442 nm light onto a substrate, and micromechanics for multiplexing light to the several zone plates, enabling patterns of arbitrary geometry, at 350 nm linewidth, to be written. We referred to the technique as zone-plate-array lithography ~ZPAL!. We also demonstrated zone-plate-array microscopy. Here, we report on a ‘‘preprototype’’ ZPAL system operating at an exposure wavelength of 400 nm, capable of quick-turn-around, maskless lithography. We describe the lithography results with this system as well the development of high-speed data delivery systems, high-numerical-aperture zone plates ~up to 0.95!, and a multiplexing scheme that will enable us to move to a ‘‘full-prototype’’ system capable of 210 nm feature sizes at a moderate but useful throughput of ;0.25 cm in 20 min. © 2002 American Vacuum Society. @DOI: 10.1116/1.1526353#